Respect
by szhismine
Summary: HarperDelete alternate ending. Harper and Beka have a talk about respect. Harper angst.


Respect: Harper/Delete Alternate Ending  
  
Title: Respect  
  
Rating: G  
  
Spoilers: Harper/Delete. There's also a small mention of Rafe, Beka's brother.  
  
Genre: Angst  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned Andromeda, Harper/Delete would actually be Harper- centered. *ahem* ;)  
  
Summary: Harper and Beka have a talk about respect. Freindship fic.  
  
Characters: Harper and Beka.  
  
Author's Note: Harper/Delete should have been Harper centered! So i've decided to write an alternate ending where Harper keeps complaining about that respect he never gets. Good angst moment, but not very reflected on. Reviews highly appreciated.  
  
Dedication: This fic is also dedicated to the Harperchondriacs. :)  
  
*************  
  
Harper sat quietly in the Maru as they made their way back to the Andromeda. File D was held carefully in his hands. After what happened today, he didn't want to accidentally set it off again.  
  
He looked around at everyone else. Rommie and Trance were at a console together, working. Dylan was at another one, taking some readings. Beka was piloting.  
  
Harper let out a small sigh, but not loud for anyone to hear. It was silent on the way back. No 'good job for disarming the weapon, Harper'. But then, Harper was used to doing a great job and never getting any mention of it.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Beka was glad to be back on the Andromeda. Their latest adventure had her rather worried. She was still angry at Dylan for wanting to gamble with their lives like that, but she would have time to get back at him later.  
  
She paused as she walked by the Obs deck. She could see Harper leaning against the window ledge, staring into space.  
  
She walked up to him. "Hey Seamus," she said cheerfully.  
  
Harper sighed. "Hey boss," he replied.  
  
Beka frowned. Harper was missing his usual hyperness that he has after he manages to figure something out. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," Harper said quickly. "Nothing's wrong. Why did you even ask? Is there a sticker on my forehead saying 'something is wrong, bug me to death'? Huh?"  
  
Beka took a step back in surprise. "Harper, relax. I was only asking."  
  
Harper scoffed. "Yeah, like you care."  
  
Beka frowned, her temper rising. "Seamus, what's wrong with you?"  
  
"I--you wouldn't understand."  
  
"Then talk to me," Beka said, her features softening. "You know you can tell me anything."  
  
Harper sighed again. "I was in space, wasn't I? That's why I was in the Maru."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You chose not to tell me so I wouldn't panic."  
  
"Right."  
  
"You knew File D had been activated."  
  
"Right again."  
  
Harper looked at Beka in the eye. "So when Dylan told me to 'take it easy', he wasn't showing me respect, he was just trying to stop an entire population from turning into a planet of mindless zombies."  
  
Beka was a bit taken aback. "What do you mean, respect? We respect you."  
  
"Then why don't you show it?"  
  
Beka was speechless. She had always thought Harper was happy; and that he was appreciated for all the work he's done.  
  
"I mean," Harper continued, "I do lots of repairs for you guys. I've saved the Andromeda and all of you dozens of times. But did I ever get a 'thank you Harper' or 'good job Harper'? Very rarely."  
  
"Harper, of course we respect you," Beka said. "Don't ever think otherwise."  
  
"Yeah well, I'm having some trouble doing that."  
  
Beka smiled sympathetically. "We all appreciate everything you do for us. You know that." She was met with silence. "Why haven't you said something before?"  
  
Harper shrugged. "I guess I never really noticed before. But... but being stuck with File D, knowing it could have activated any moment and turn my brain into melted ice cream... it got me thinking. Besides, what would I say? 'I saved your asses, now worship me'. What the hell?"  
  
Beka laughed. "Well, I definately appreciate your sense of humor." Harper gave a weak smile. "Look Harper, sometimes... sometimes it's hard to say what we think with words. Dylan has always respected you, it didn't take a powerful weapon for him to realize that. Rommie is so thankful for all the repairs you do, and even more so for giving her an android body. Trance has always admired your hard work, as well as Rev Bem. He was fascinated by you. He could watch you work on some gizmo for hours. Tyr..." she trailed off. "Tyr thought you were annoying, yet smart. He liked your genius."  
  
Harper nodded, taking all of this in. "How do you know?"  
  
"I can read people, Harper. I know deep down how the crew feel about you."  
  
"What about you?"  
  
Beka smiled. "You know how I feel about you. You're like the brother I never had."  
  
"What about Rafe?"  
  
"He doesn't count. Like I said, you're like the brother I never had," Beka clarified.  
  
Harper laughed. "Thanks, boss," he said. "But..."  
  
Beka put her hands on her hips. "After all I said, you're still having doubts?"  
  
"How come they've never said any of this?!" Harper exclaimed. "They could've. I wouln't have gotten angry at them. Don't they think that I appreciate a compliment once in a while?"  
  
"Look, don't ask me how their minds work, okay? I can only read people so far. If you want a more expert opinion, go see Trance or Rommie."  
  
Harper nodded. "Will do."  
  
Beka looked at him, concerned. "Harper, I'm really sorry, honestly. I guess we just assumed you felt appreciated."  
  
Harper smiled. "I know I'm appreciated. I just wish someone would actually show it. Like, remember that time on the Maru when the AP tank was about to blow and I stopped it from exploding one second before it was going to?"  
  
Beka laughed at the memory from years ago, before the were hired by Gerentex. "Yeah. Me and Rev were worshiping the ground you walked on, and Trance named three of her plants after you. Then we all treated you to dinner at Cavanaugh's."  
  
Harper laughed along with Beka. "Yeah, except we didn't have enough money so we had to do the ever popular 'dine-and-dash'," Harper said. He became serious again. "Thanks boss."  
  
"You're welcome." Beka turned to leave.  
  
She stopped at the opening and turned. "Oh, and Harper?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Beka grinned. "Good job deactivating File D."  
  
Harper grinned back. Beka left and went to her quarters, glad they got that settled.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Dylan?"  
  
Dylan looked up from the flexi he was reading. "Yes Beka?"  
  
"Where's the nearest drift we can stop at?"  
  
THE END 


End file.
